Books › The history of the violin, and other instruments played on with the bow from the remotest times to the present. Also, an account of the principal makers, English and foreign, with numerous illustrations, 1864 › scan 55
Scan 55
The history of the violin, and other instruments played on with the bow from the remotest times to the present. Also, an account of the principal makers, English and foreign, with numerous illustrations, 1864
9 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 38. See the scan on archive.org.
1"philosophie." Queen Guenever, of scant fame, had at her revels, as appears in the "Romance of Launfel,"—
3" . . . mensterales of moch honours,
4Fydelers, cytolyrs and trompours."
6While Sir Thomas on his visit to the Fairy Queen finds harp and fidul, getorn, sautry, lute, and rebybe, and "alle maner of mynstralcy." So Sir Thomas was very well pleased for a time, as may be seen in Halliwell's "Fairy Mythology," which contains much interesting matter. Many other examples might be given, if necessary, in further proof of the frequent use of the word; we shall bring forward some of them by and bye for a different purpose. One or two references may be made to more sober writers, as Geoffrey de Vinesauf, about the year 1200, who, after mentioning "somniferæ cytharæ," immediately afterwards introduces "vitulæ jocosæ." Gerbert adds, "Vitulæ an violæ? quæ passim inter instrumenta musica medii ævi censentur." John de Garlande, in his vocabulary of the middle of the thirteenth century, has the word vidula amongst his musical instruments; and we are told that Isabella, Queen of Edward II, had in her train, amongst others, two poor musicians, "vidulatores," to play before her. The fiddle of these early times, however, was the viol and not our modern violin.
8In the "Nibelungen Lied," of the twelfth century, a celebrated warrior and minstrel is introduced, named Volker; his fiddle-bow, or videl-bogen, appears to have been a powerful weapon of offence; and he is called videlære. A short but amusing account of Volker, and some other ancient musical worthies, as Swemmel and Werbel, "court fiddlers and minstrels" to King Etzel, will be found in "A Few Notes on the Fiddle," by the
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